Trump to Iran’s Rowhani: You better be careful

Donald Trump dialed up the rhetoric against Iran on Friday, warning the country's president he "better be careful" about his words.

The war-of-words between Tehran and Washington escalated as President Hassan Rowhani and Trump traded threats and warnings.

Rowhani told a crowd of hundreds of thousands marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution that "the Iranian people must be spoken to with respect."

"Iranians will make those using threatening language against this nation regret it," he said.

"Anyone threatening Iran's government and armed forces should know that our nation is vigilant."

Trump was asked about the remarks later, responding that "he better be careful."

The US president has toughened the rhetoric against Iran considerably since coming to office.

He has also introduced sanctions after an Iranian missile test.

Many in Trump's inner circle want to see a harder line against Tehran, but have so far shied away from killing a deal that saw Iran get sanctions relief in exchange for curbing its nuclear program.

Trump on Feb. 2 put Iran "on notice" over charges that Tehran violated a nuclear deal with the West by test-firing a ballistic missile, taking an aggressive posture toward Iran that could raise tensions in the region.

Trump made the comments about Rowhani while flying on the presidential jet carrying him and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a weekend at Trump's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida.